SuperTopo has long been looking for the perfect iPhone app partner and we found them with rakkup. The rakkup app gets you to the parking area, gives you turn-by-turn approach directions and helps you select which climb is best suited for you. It then incorporates the SuperTopo Red Rocks Climbing guidebook where you find photos, history, detailed beta and topos. It is by far the most feature-rich and innovative climbing guidebook app available today.

Red Rocks Climbing SuperTopo on the iPhone with Rakkup

Credit: Chris McNamara

Right now only the SuperTopo Red Rocks Guide is available (just in time for Red Rocks Rendezvous) as well as the rakkup Smith Rocks guide.

There is a free Red Rocks sample that you get once you download the app for FREE at the iTunes store.

The complete Red Rocks guide is available on the iPhone for an introductory price of $9.99. Offer expires in one week..

Brief Tour of the app in 5 screen shots
1) First you get an overview of all the climbs (cams are trad climbs and bolt hangers represent sport climbs).

Rakkup overview of Red Rocks.

Credit: Chris McNamara

2) Next, you can scroll around and find which climbs are best suited for you by sorting by difficulty, reading the beta, history, etc.

rakkup for Red Rocks

Credit: Chris McNamara

3) Once you select your climbs, the app gets you to the parking area and then gives you turn-by-turn navigation on the trail: just follow the red arrow. Yes, the rakkup founders Rob and Todd hiked every single approach in red rocks with a GPS to get this data!

rakkup red rocks

Credit: Chris McNamara

4) Once you are near the climb, you can browse photos from the SuperTopo guidebook to get oriented. You can also see beta, history, and written descent beta and more.

rakkup red rocks

Credit: Chris McNamara

5) Finally, get a color SuperTopo on your iphone and follow it up the route.

Frequently Asked Questions
Post any questions you have about the app below and I will answer them here:
Q: What about descents?
A: At this moment there is no decent tracking in the app for the climbs that have walk-off descents. However, the written SuperTopo descent beta is included in the app.

Q: how does this app affect battery life?
A: Like all apps that use the GPS capabilities of your phone, it drains your battery quickly when the GPS is being used in Map Tracking mode. This app should work for 1-2 hours in Map Tracking mode if you start with a full charge. When you are not using the GPS function and just browsing through the app, your battery should last a normal amount of time. So there are a few options:
a) carefully use Map Tracking mode by turning it off when you don't need it.
b) get a $20 extra external battery like this one good for 1-2 charges or a $40 battery like this one good for 4 iphone charges
c) use a portable solar charger with a built in battery. Our current favorite is the SolarMonkey Adventurer.
d) a combination of all of the above

Q: Does the app work with no cell signal?
A: Yes. Or course you need a cell signal to buy the app.

Q: When will there be more SuperTopo's available on the iPhone through rakkup?
A: Red Rocks is our pilot project. If it goes as well as we hope, then we hope to add Yosemite SuperTopo guides to the app soon.

Chris McNamara and the rakkup founders at Red Rocks Rendezvous
Come by the Outdoor Research booth on Saturday April 6 at the Red Rocks Rendezvous to get a demo of the app from Chris McNamara and the rakkup founders Rob and Todd. All money from purchases of the app during the Rendezvous go straight to the Access Fund.

Please tell a friend about the free sample and promo price!
We are in the "trying to send" phase... we need help getting the word out. If you like the app and free sample, please tell a climbing friend, app addict, Red Rocks junkie. Thank you!

Thanks Chris. Be ready for all the "old skoool" tech haters to rag on this.

The only thing better is my Chipotle app. WHich is pre-loaded with cash and has my order already in it. You dont even have to wait in line. You go to the front and pick up your already paid for burrito.

Great idea. Finally a way to accurately tell how long everyone's falls are. Downside is all those epic stories of 50+ foot falls would actually be called out as 20 footers (same phenomena as "I once caught a fish the size of...")

brilliant! the gps function is awesome. but...if u already own the red rocks book in pdf format do u basically have to buy it over again for the app or can the existing one u own be integrated into the app?

Not sure about the timeline on Android support. Yes, ideally it would be out at the same time, but remember that overall us climbers are a small group and therefor the business are small with small budgets. Right now rakkup is 2 guys, SuperTopo only has one full time employee (me)... so there is a lot to do with only a few people on a really small budget!

This is also a start-up, and it will take some popularity of the app to inspire the next versions and expanded offerings... so once again, please tell a friend!! Here is the Supertopo on rakkup page, right now it is very lonely and could use some likes and comments!

As far as getting SuperTopo on rakkup if you already bought the Red Rocks ebook pdf: again, at this stage with the limited people, budget and time we had to put getting the app out as a priority and push off the integrating of special pricing for past purchasers until down the road. However, the good news is the Red Rocks book on rakkup is only $9.99 and as I think you can see from the free sample on the iTunes store, it is a LOT of climbing app for that price. Did i stress enough the turn-by-turn approach beta!! All for the price of 2 beers at the Mountain Room Bar.

Thanks again guys for the comments, suggestions and support. This has been a ton of work for all involved so the positive energy, word-of-mouth and suggestions are all much appreciated!!

As for the Supertopo app, I'll sure be checking it out, though I'm pretty old skool. Technology is great since it's there if you're inclined to want or need it. I think the gripe about some folks' use it of is not the tech itself but rather a complete dependence upon it rather than using it as a supplement to common sense and judgment.

Well, I have an iPhone 4S (iOS 6.1.3), downloaded the free app, bought the $9.99 content, and downloaded the content. Two observations:

a) Once downloaded it displayed the highly dubious "Expires 4/3/14" - it's like, if you're selling subscriptions you need to be way, way (did I say way) more upfront about it as I thought I was buying a product. You know, like if I bought your paper guidebook it would not 'expire' on 4/3/14.

b) On opening the downloaded $9.99 content the app crashed and now the app crashes every time you open it immediately after displaying the splash photo.

Better tell your homeboys to 'rakkup' those keyboards and start heading out on the next pitch...er, version.

P.S. I'm a software guy and know how it goes so I'm fine waiting for a clean 4S version.

I have seen the app demonstrated and it really exceeded my expectations. Getting to the base of alot of these routes can be challenging. I have been on more than one extended route find. Now you get there quick and have great topos fo rht e route. Get me the Android version pronto!

Thanks for all the love guys. healyje, I'm sorry your initial experience wasn't a good one but I can say it's far from typical. Rest assured we have done a LOT of testing on this puppy in many environments -- my personal daily driver is a 4S on 6.1.3 same as yours -- and haven't seen a crash at startup before. Bottom line though, we'll respond to the email you sent and either make it right or issue a refund, of course.
Anyway we're here listening and learning, and hope you like what you see. I like the fall-detection feature suggestion especially...